[Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), a review].

Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) is evolving rapidly as one of the major veterinary problems of the last few decades, confining itself for the time being to the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. This article reviews the various disorders belonging to the progressive spongiform encephalopathies in humans and animals. It describes clinical symptoms, diagnosis, and experimental transmission of the newest member of this group, BSE. It goes on to discuss the origin of the disease, the latest events concerning BSE in the United Kingdom, and the chances for the disease to occur in the Netherlands. Whether BSE has any implications for human health is not completely clear. Risks for consumers seem remote and, if at all present, are probably confined to consumption of lymphatic and nervous tissues of clinically affected animals.